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Tuesday, May 31, 2016

I don't normally 'review' products, and in fact I'm such a keen baker that I wouldn't normally buy a 'mix'. But this cookie mix is something completely different, and left my highly impressed!So much so I felt I had to share. So this isn't really a review, but more of a recommendation!

With the Bed & Breakfast in full swing, and with two kids under three years old, I'm constantly living on borrowed time. But that doesn't mean I want to comprise neglecting my baking time with my daughter Aoife. She is only three, but already a baking enthusiast! This mixture was great, as I knew exactly what in the mix and exactly what we were consuming, unlike some 'cookie dough' you can buy in the fridge section of the supermarkets.

I bought the Oatly Dotely mixture, which is a strawberry and oat cookie mix. It's divine. It reminds me a little of Hagen Daz Strawberry Cheesecake Ice-cream. I'm actually thinking that if you make your own ice-cream (sometimes I do when time permits), add these cookies crumbled into the final icecream to make a healthier Strawberry Cheesecake icecream.

The mixture in the jar is a layered combination of dried strawberries, oats, coconut, sugar and flour and vanilla. You simply just pour the contents of the jar into a bowl, and mix well. Then add cooled melted butter, honey and an egg (all mixed together), to the dry ingredients and mix thoroughly. The recipe at the back of the jar is a doddle to follow and it correctly states it makes 15 cookies, using a teaspoon to measure them out onto a baking tray. I drizzled melted white chocolate over the cookies, as a little weekend treat, and I place them at the Bed & Breakfast entrance as a nice little welcome treat for all my guests.

Wednesday, May 11, 2016

I'm a huge pesto fan! I find it to be such a diverse ingredient in the kitchen, pairing it with pasta, potatoes, dressings, salads, stews, roasts and bakes; I always have one type or another lurking a kilner jar in the fridge. This is not the first pesto recipe I've blogged! Check out the following link for my previous pestos:

You may notice in each of those pesto recipes I have left out the Parmesan cheese component, and this recipe is no different. This makes the pestos vegan friendly.I adore Parmesan cheese, but my husband is not a fan, so I've learnt to exclude it.

I've upped the super powers though for this particular pesto, Kale & Cashew nut. You can't get healthier than Kale, and it's currently enjoying a moment as THEE go to super food. This is a super clean guilt free pesto that is packed full of nutrients. The cashews also really help bring a creaminess to the final pesto!

My fussy little three year old would live on pesto pasta given the chance, so this was the perfect way to sneak some kale into her diet. While she didn't take kindly to the change in taste in the first bite or two of her 'usual' pasta. By the end of the meal she had a happy belly and a happy mommy!! If it passed the Aoife Test, then it will please the very fussiest of little eaters!Ingredients

50g of raw cashew nuts

1 large handful of chopped kale leaves (no stalks)

100ml extra virgin olive oil

Salt & pepper

1 chopped garlic clove

Juice of a lemon

3 tbsp of flat leaf parsley

Method

Simply place all ingredients into a food processor and blitz until the desired constituency. I like to stop just before it gets 100% smooth, for a little bit of texture.

Store in a kilner jar, or similar, with a layer of oil on the top to preserve the pesto.

I also spread this on some salmon fillets, then baked as normal in the oven, it was really tasty.

Tuesday, May 10, 2016

Here's a super quick, super healthy vegetarian dish perfect if you are stuck in a lunch time rut, like myself! The harrisa paste gives the chickpea cakes a real hot and smoky kick, with the raita being the perfect cooling accompaniment. This can easily be made ahead of time and reheated in the microwave and added to the raita salad, if you are office based. But equally this dish is a perfect starter for a dinner party or also throw the cakes in a pitta or flatbread for a wonderful alternative to a sandwich. Whatever the occasion, there is no excuse not to give these babies a go!!

Ingredients

1 tin of chickpeas, drained

1 garlic clove, minced

3 tbsp of chopped fresh flat leaf parsley

1 tsp of harrisa paste

Salt & Pepper

1 egg

2 slices of bread, blitz to breadcrumbs

Raita

50ml of natural yogurt

1 tomato, deseeded and diced

1/4 cucumber, peeled, deseeded and diced

Salt and pepper

2 tbsp of chopped fresh flat leaf parsley

5ml extra virgin olive oil

3 tbsp diced red onion

Method

Add all the chickpea cake ingredients to a food processor and blitz to a batter style consistency.

Wet your hands and shape into small patties (cakes). I got 10 from this recipe, but you can make them smaller for canapes or bigger for burgers.

Heat a non stick pan to medium and add a small amount of olive oil.

Fry the chickpea cakes for 4 minutes on each side.

To make the chunky raita, simply combine all the ingredients and stir well. If you have mint or coriander, this would also work.

Enjoy. These can be stored cooled for 2 days in the refrigerator and reheated gently on a pan for for 1 minute in the microwave.

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About Me

My name is Serena and i'm a self confessed food addict!! I'm a wife, a mom to a young toddler, and a bed and breakfast owner in Killarney in South West Ireland. I get a kick out of cooking for loved ones and in my job I get to cook for different people from all over the world on a daily basis. I am constantly experimenting and my guilty pleasure is reading cook books in bed.
I'm quite health and low fat conscious most of the time. I do believe if you are healthy 80% of the time, the rest of the time is reserved for treats. Afterall life is too short not to enjoy cake! This is reflected in my recipes which are mostly low fat, but there are a few naughty tasty recipes also.
I was a fussy eater as a young lass, using ketchup to disguise the taste of food, still today I use ketchup like its going out of fashion, though always just in the privacy of my own home.I promise to leave the ketchup at home in these recipes :)